Family therapy of psychotics

Summary

In the foregoing case there is a clear-cut parallelism between the delusional experiences of a schizophrenic individual and the emotional life of her family unit. The reversion of the malignant process ocurred through the therapeutic intervention of the family's affective milieu. It is beyond the scope of this paper to elaborate about the technique of family therapy, although some of it was conveyed in the presentation. It is worth stressing here, however, that the therapist is never a “neutral observer” but is an active participant in the family life. Through the use of himself, he brings into the familial constellation all the healthy emotions which are often dormant or feared by the members of the family. He recognizes and energizes the positive feelings and also points out the “real conflicts” which almost invariably had been displaced. Thus, his intervention helps to solve the conflicts and to establish a new constructive emotional milieu.